Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-12-02
INDIANS.
Renegade Hunting Parties
Depredating the Little
Salmon Settlements,
THE INDIGNANT SETTLERS.
Are Swearing Vengeance Against
Indians Hunting Without
An Agents Permit.

From time 10 time We have hear(
from the Salmon river region, and par
t'cularly from the Little Salmon, ru.
mors and complaints of the conduct O
| the numerous bands of struggling
Indians from the Nez Perce reserya.
ton, who, under the name of hunting
parties are permitted, or take the per-
mission of rowing over the entire region
of the Salmon river country from Lemhi
to Snake. We have refrained from
commenting on the matter heretofore
thinking the reports were perhaps mag.
nlfied, or the result of prejudice. But
personal observation and the statements
of the best and most reliable citizens of
that region have convinced us that the
subject is too serious to he neglected
and we therefore present the following
statement of facts for the information
OF our readers in general, and the au-
thorities in particular who are charged
with the care of these Indians.
Large parties of the Indians known
as the returned hostiles of Chief Jo-
seph's band, have been rowing the past
summer over the whole of their former
territory. Lest there should be anv
doubt about their being these hostiles,
we will state that the testimony on this
point is universal. They have been
seen and recognised by many of the
residents as the identical Indians who
were engaged in the massacres of 1877.
They have almost completely terrorised
the few isolated residents of the Little
Salmon country by their insolent and
hostile treatment. They have stolen
and robbed and appropriated by force
just what they pleased. They have
wantonl. butchered cattle on the range.
and the new beef hides have been seen
in their possession by responsible men,
who have also seen the bones End
other evidences of slaughtered stock in
and around deserted Indian camps.
they robbed the premises of Messrs.
Melee 4 Hickey in open daylight, and
unblushingly helped themselves to the
garden produce. They robbed and
insulted old Mr.. Colemant, at Sqwaw
creek, t. ok 300 pounds of onions from
his garden, and finally demanded his
money, which the frightened old man
gave ur; as the sum was only $3.50, the
Indian said it was "No Good" and con-
tempiuously threw it back to him.
In the absence of Mr.. Mcuiinchy on
the Little Salmon Meadows, they went
to his house and demanded tobacco,
sugar and cartridges, and SO frightened
Mrs. McGlnchy, who was alone, by
lnsolent behavior, that she escaped by
The back door, waded the river, and in
the night. walked to the nearest neigh
bors, some miles distant. A number of
them met Dave Lewis on the Boise
trail, near the Crooks corral, and when
he laid down his gun to tighten his
pack, an Indian picked it up and made
of with it, and it was not until Dave
pulled his revolver and threatened TO
kill him that the gun was restored.
This same Dave Lewis also had his
camp robbed by Indians, and fine
sixty dollar gun, and traps and peltries
of the value of $500 stolen therefrom.
Johnny Wilson's house was robbed i'm
his absence, and various artic es taken,
some OF which were subsequently seen
in the possession of Indians by other
parties. Louis Bocher, of White Bird,
is also a victim to their theiving habits.
These are only a few instances of
their conduct while on their annual
hunting trip-or properly speaking,
robbing and plundering raid. The set
tiers are determined to tolerate these
proceedings no longer, and trouble will
surely come of it if they are continued
next season. 1t will be we'll for the
reservation authorities to investigate
this matter and see that these Indians
are either kept on the reservation, or
else not permitted to leave it without
written permit from the agent, which
the Indian can produce when called
upon to do so by white men. and which
will enable us to identify them in the
event of their transgressing the laws.
These Indians have already cost this
country much suffering and money
and the lives of many brave men, and
We are in no mood to stand idly by and
see them rampaging around Che graves
of their victims, whose blood is not vet
dry. The friends of the Indians will do
we'll to keep them on the reservation,
here they will he ont of danuer